Costel Pantilimon gets the opportunity to step out of Joe Hart’s shadow

Costel Pantilimon gets the opportunity to establish himself as a number one goalkeeper (Picture: Getty Images)

Having been confirmed on Manchester City’s not retained list at the end of the 2013-14 Premier League season it was clear that Costel Pantilimon would be heading out of the club this summer.

This came to pass earlier this week with the news that the Romanian goalkeeper, who had spent his three year tenure at the club as back to Joe Hart, had signed for fellow Premier League side Sunderland.

On the face of it, the deal appears a good one for Pantilimon but it is not without question.

Pantilimon has agreed a contract that will tie him to Sunderland for the next four seasons and although there has been no confirmation as to whether City and Pantilimon ever seriously discussed an extension to his deal at the club it is unlikely that City would have committed a four year deal, more in the region of a two year offer for what is essentially a back up ‘keeper.

Whilst the length of the contract is an attractive one for him, and one would imagine the wages were on par with what he could command elsewhere, Sunderland is an interesting destination for him.

In Vito Mannone they have a ‘keeper who performed well and stood out for the most part (one memorable howler at The Etihad does stand out though) but you imagine that Pantilimon has been promised at the very least an equal shot at winning the starting job. If not, then four years is a long time to contemplate as a back up for someone who is now 27 years old and with medals in his pocket must yearn for the chance to be his own man.

In terms of his time at City, 2013/14 was probably the season that highlighted to both the club and Pantilimon himself that he would never be a serious long term challenger to Joe Hart. Adequate as a stand-in when required on a short term basis but lacking the quality to ever be a true number one for the club, certainly in terms of ousting Hart over the longer term.

Whilst a safe pair of hands on the tiller, Pantilimon you felt lacked the presence and ability to be able to ‘win’ games in the way that the very top keepers do – even for the elite sides.

As for City, Richard Wright has already been re-signed but it would be a huge surprise if they didn’t further enter the market. The question though will be whether this is a like for like for Pantilimon or a more direct challenger to Hart.

To go without a real genuine back up though could be a dangerous move. Undoubtedly Hart’s form picked up but he is not too far removed from a wretched patch of form and would City trust Wright or one of the young keepers at the club? But they will know the difficulty faced with trying to attract a quality ‘keeper in when the reality is they will play but a handful of games. This is, you feel, where the loss of Pantilimon will be most keenly felt.